I noticed a story in today’s local paper about Britain wanting to increase its naval presence in the Persian Gulf. I immediately thought that the Persian Gulf was quite a long way from the mist-shrouded shores of Great Britain.
Author Archives: michael
Review of ‘The Reader’
I just saw this 2008 film, which won an Best Actress Oscar for Kate Winslet. It is an unusual film in that it combines two things that are not commonly connected: the issues of illiteracy and of German guilt over the Holocaust.
Posted in Dyslexia, Germany, Peace Leave a comment
My visit to Halifax, NS
Ontario always was the ‘have-province,’ while Nova Scotia was the ‘have-not.’ Now it looks like if you want to enjoy a charmed life, you might want to consider living in Halifax.
Posted in Cities, Design, Hamilton, Ontario Leave a comment
Music Theory Guy
A reply to an email I received from the Music Theory Guy, an English music teacher in a London secondary school who believes that music students should have a firm grounding in music theory.
Posted in Music, Self expression Leave a comment
The Coroner Takes an Interest in Cycling
Recently there was a interesting twist to the debate over cycling in Ontario. The provincial coroner will now examine the public health issues of cycling fatalities in the province.
Ben and Biking
Today our son Ben had the realization that he has a huge, yet brand-new, interest in road biking.
Posted in Child-rearing, Cycling Leave a comment
Portion size: American vs Dutch
In the USA the pattern for food portion size is ‘more is more.’ In the Netherlands it is ‘less is more.’ As someone who watches his weight, I have come to appreciate the Dutch approach.
Posted in Food, Pittsburgh, The Netherlands Leave a comment
LRT and Hamilton’s industrial future
In the LRT debate not only the appeal of various technical solutions are at issue but it is also a visioning exercise that involves the psyche of the whole city. What does Hamilton want to become?
Political effort and our happiness
I think about politicians who promote reactionary ‘solutions.’ Are they following their own political ideology? Certainly. But another explanation is that maybe they’re just being lazy.
Swimming and singing
Two things that currently give me great pleasure are swimming and singing. I am a beginner singer but an experienced swimmer. Both of these activities are life-affirming and fun. Both require practice and take years to master. I have learned that both depend critically on learning how to breathe properly.
Posted in Hamilton, Self expression Leave a comment
